Happy 'not-your-birthday' Day
by NeonGenesisMariChan
Summary: Natsu didn't show up at the guild today and Lucy wants to know why. When Lucy heads off to visit Natsu at his house, she finds him in his hammock declaring today a 'lay back and chill day'. But Lucy knows something's up, what's going on with Natsu? NaLu


Do you guys ever just have these epic NaLu feels and you just have to write something? Yeah, well I do.

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately for me, Fairy Tail is owned by Hiro Mashima who is my all time favorite mangaka and I aspire to be him. *bows***

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Lucy Heartfilia sat with her cheek pressed against her palm as she turned the pages of her book numbly. She didn't know why but she was just so bored. It probably had something to with the distinct lack of a certain pink headed pyro. She was so zoned out that she hadn't even noticed when Fairy Tail's resident barmaid came over a refilled her drink.

"Why so glum?"

"It's nothing Mira."

She lied. It was something and apparently Mira had noticed. The barmaid took a quick glance around the room, yep. No Natsu in sight. She couldn't help but laugh, those two were just so cute. "I think he said he would be at his house, if it makes you feel any better."

Lucy shrugged, "I don't know what you're talking about Mira."

"Natsu. You're missing him, go over there why don't 'cha?"

Lucy rolled her eyes, she wasn't 'missing' Natsu. It's just that the guild felt quieter without him...which should've been a good thing. However, she couldn't help feeling that the guild was lacking something. She sighed as she pushed herself up out of her seat, maybe she'd pay him a visit...not like she was missing him or anything.

Mira smiled as her eyes trailed the blonde's frame as she exited the guild. The barmaid couldn't help but be excited, she just got all bubbly with anything that concerned her favorite couple.

"Ugh..so many bushes. Like seriously Natsu?!" Lucy groaned as she pushed her way through one of the many bushes that surrounded the dragon slayer's home. She sighed as she finally reached the front door, lightly tapping on the door. She didn't want to disturb him nor did she want to make a fuss. Knowing Natsu he'd probably joke about her missing him, and his stupid cat would probably taunt her with the typical 'you liiiiiiiikee him' schtick as usual. When no one answered, she lightly pushed the door open. Cautiously stepping in.

"Natsu? Happy?"

"Aye!"

The blonde looked over at the exceed, crouched on the floor and chewing on a fish. Lucy felt her eyes drift to the pink haired male who was slumped over in his hammock, softly snoring. She couldn't lie, he was really cute when he slept.

"Lucy, stop smiling like that. You look like some kinda creep."

Lucy blushed as she turned back to the cat, "SHUT UP STUPID CAT!"

Happy got up and flew above her, "No offense Lucy, but what are you doing here? I thought you hated this place."

Lucy had to admit, this dumb cat had a point. She looked around the place, it was a mess as usual. Job request papers scattered throughout the walls, the mementos that Natsu kept which made Lucy's heart flutter, old scraps of food and articles of clothing...yet it felt warm, homely. She couldn't tell that dumb feline that she was missing Natsu, no way. She whipped her head up at the winged cat, "Mira. She was worried about you guys so she sent me over here to check up on you."

Awesome Lucy. Excellent cover.

Happy still looked skeptical but shrugged it off, "Well Natsu said he wasn't feeling well. He said today was a lay back and chill day."

"Lay back and chill day? More like knock out and sleep day, if you ask me."

"Well nobody asked you."

Lucy scoffed when something caught her eye. As the sleeping male tossed over in his hammock, a small book had fallen to the ground. She picked it up and traced her fingers across it, it was a leather bound book, black in color with gold trimming near the edges. She looked back up at Happy, "Hey! What's this?"

Happy swooped down and perched himself atop her head, peering down at the object in Lucy's hands. "Aye! That's Natsu's calendar book!"

"Calendar book?"

"Yuh-huh. He's pretty organized with dates y'know."

"Is that so?" Lucy knew that her voice was dripping with sarcasm as she opened the small book. Natsu, good with dates? He'd need a bit of organization skills before she could give him such praise. Her eyes danced as she read through the pages, such events like 'the first time I challenged Erza' to 'the seventh time I challenged Erza' were written in bright red pen. Lucy felt her face get warm as she read things like 'the day I met Lucy' and 'the day we learned Lucy's dad died'. It wasn't such a big deal but she was flattered that he had taken the time to jot down things pertaining to her. "Hm? What's this?" She frowned as she reached today's date.

"What is it?"

She turned to the cat who was now laying on the couch and ran over to him, "THIS." She pointed at the circle on today's date, "It says it's the anniversary of the day he met Igneel..."

Happy glanced over at the page and shrugged, "So?"

"So?!" Lucy huffed, "Igneel's his dad. I mean his adoptive dragon dad, but his dad nonetheless..."

"Soooo?" The cat repeated, not understanding where the blonde was going with this.

Lucy sighed in defeat as she sprawled herself over the couch, "Gosh. You can be so slow sometimes!"

"Hey! What kinda weirdo comes into someone's house and insults them?"

"Are you being serious right now?!"

"Nevermind."

"Happy! That means it's pretty much Natsu's birthday!"

Happy grinned as he snatched the book from the female. "No way! You think he would've told me. Some friend he is!" Lucy rolled her eyes as she listened to the cat ramble on, laughing at the scenario before her. So, it was Natsu's birthday? That was the reason he hadn't come to the guild?

Silly pyro.

Lucy burst into a fit of giggles as the feline circled the room, still going on about Natsu's birthday, that she hadn't even noticed that all the commotion had woken the sleeping individual up.

"Lu...cy...?"

The blonde snapped her head up at the sound of her name and locked eyes with the male. He was still laying on his stomach, one arm hanging off the side of the hammock, his pink hair as disheveled as ever, his onyx eyes looking into her's curiously.

Lucy blushed ferociously. Of course he was confused, she had just waltzed into his home, made such a ruckus, and was currently sprawled all over his couch. She watched as he adjusted himself so that he was sitting up with his legs crossed. He rubbed his eyes and Lucy couldn't help but smile, the action reminiscent of a small child.

"Mira told her to come, Natsu!"

Thank you Happy.

Natsu looked up at his friend and gave a small nod before turning his attention to the girl on the couch who was nodding in agreement. He stretched out his arms and chuckled, "Well, I guess I should've told her I wasn't coming. Typical Mira to worry."

Lucy fixed herself so that she was sitting casually on the couch, she placed her palms on her knees, "So...why aren't you going?"

"Hm? Oi! What happened ya' missed me Luce?"

Lucy frowned as she turned away from his gaze, feeling her cheeks turn hot. This was exactly what she was trying to avoid. His stupid belief that she would miss him, his stupid lopsided grin, his stupid face being so stupidly cute. "No. I was about to go on a job with Levy and Shadow Gear. It's just Mira told me to check on you, and I hate seeing Mira all worried like that!"

A lie, but effective nonetheless. Natsu had dropped the topic but at the same time Lucy noticed that his eyes had lost their sparkle when she had brought up taking a job. He rubbed the back of his next before speaking, "Uh...no offense Lucy...but uh I thought you hated this place...if you saw me sleeping, why didn't you just go back to the guild and tell Mira that?"

Crap.

"'Cause she was watching you while you sleep."

Double crap.

Natsu stroked his chin and nodded understandingly, "Ah, I see. Lucy came over to be a weirdo. Well that is expected of her..."

Are you freaking kidding me? This psycho and his stupid flying cat were insulting her? She did not have time for this. She felt the need to storm out, when the cat spoke "Natsu, why didn't you tell me it was your birthday? I thought we were friends!"

"Huh? It's not my birthday."

"But it says so right here."

Natsu's eyes widened at the sight of his calendar book, "Oi! Happy! Where'd you get that?!"

The flying cat shrugged and handed the book to the male, "From Lucy."

Triple crap.

Lucy sunk into the couch as she felt Natsu's gaze turn back on her, he cocked his head at her questioningly. "Is that ya' thing Luce? Breaking into people's homes and touching their stuff?"

Oh no he didn't.

"You're kidding right?! You guys do that ALL THE TIME!"

"As expected. You doing it? Now that's a plot twist."

"Aye!"

Lucy huffed, she wasn't going to take this anymore. She'll admit it, she DID come because she missed that pink headed idiot but ever since she came to visit, all she got was insulted by either him or his stupid cat. As she got up to approach the door, she felt a strong hand grab her wrist. She turned back to see the dragon slayer holding her back, he was now standing, his pink hair falling messily into his face, his eyes still filled with sleep.

God, he was beautiful.

Their faces practically a mere two inches apart as the boy spoke, "C'mon Luce. Don't be like that, we were just messing with ya'...c'mon...stay."

Alright, he got her. She'll admit it, she's in love with this pink headed pyro. She sighed as he released her and she plopped back down into the couch. Natsu smiled at her as he stretched out his limbs, "Ya' want anything Luce? Tea?"

She nodded graciously as he went over to a kettle in the other room, "So Natsu, if all you really wanted to do was sleep...wouldn't you usually just head over to my apartment?"

Natsu leaned in the door frame with a cup of tea and smirked, "Are you suggesting that I could just go to your apartment and sleep in your soft bed?"

"Aye! That's what it sounds like!"

Lucy snatched the tea from him and gulped it down in attempt to hide her embarrassment.

Crap times infinity.

The blonde yelped in pain. Why'd she do that? It was obviously hot, it was tea. Natsu obviously didn't help as he fell back onto his hammock mentioning, "Oh yeah, it's hot."

Well Lucy finally cooled her tongue down, she looked over at the dragon slayer across from her, he was laying sideways in his hammock with his head resting on his palm, his eyes watching her attentively.

"What?"

"Hm?"

"You're staring at me."

"Oh. I didn't realize that I wasn't supposed to."

"I mean y-you can..it's just..."

"Weird? Sorry 'bout that. I didn't realize that you were the only person allowed to be weird."

Lucy rolled her eyes and decided to be serious now, "So do you always take today off?"

"I..."

"I know it's the anniversary of when you first met Igneel. And despite all your protesting, that means it IS like your birthday."

"It's not my birthday."

"Whatever. I still consider it your birthday, so do you always take it off or?"

Natsu ran a hand through his hair and sighed, "I guess I do. I never put that much thought into it...I just never feel like leaving." She couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy, the day probably brought up bad memories as Igneel left some years ago. Natsu just couldn't bring himself to celebrate what was supposed to be a great occasion.

"Now you're staring ya' weirdo."

Any other time Lucy would've yelled in response, but she'd let this one slide since it was his birthday. She tilted her head at him, "Have you even told anyone?"

"..."

Lucy shook her head sadly, "You haven't told anyone. Not Erza? Not Gray?"

"Erza? Ice princess? C'mon Luce don't be ridiculous."

Lucy stared at the male in disbelief as he continued, "And besides, it's not my birthday anyway."

"Okay then wise guy, when IS your birthday?"

The boy hesitated, refusing to look the blonde in the eye. "You see. I-I..don't exactly have one."

"C'mon. Everyone has a birthday!"

"I mean I HAVE one...I just don't know what it is."

Lucy pitied the boy, how could someone not know their own birthday? That had to be the saddest thing that she ever heard but then again it was from the pink headed pyro who completely lost sense of his biological parents and was raised by a dragon who disappeared years ago, leaving the pyro to fend for himself as a small child. Lucy got a brilliant idea, "Then let's make today your birthday! I mean it already has significance and it's the best day for it to be!"

Natsu looked over at her in confusion. Make today his birthday? Man, she sure was a weirdo but her big bright smile made his whole body feel warm, warmer than usual. "No thank you Lucy."

Lucy was taken aback by his calm tone. He had completely rejected her idea, what made it worse was his completely nonchalant aura. She hadn't expected him to say no. She just didn't expect it. Protest, definitely. Sarcastic remarks, of course. But just to flat out say no.

"I-I'll walk you home..."

Lucy still stared at him, her mouth still forming a perfect little 'O' in shock but she obeyed. They didn't speak to one another as they walked, Happy flying right next to them. Lucy couldn't help but mentally scold herself. 'Idiot' that's the only word she could find to describe herself at the moment, she had to have offended him somehow. She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, his face held an emotionless expression, his hands crossed behind his head. "Well, here you are." His words cutting through her thoughts as she looked up at her apartment and nodded sadly, "Um. Yeah thanks."

She watched as he turned on his heel and started back. Happy met Lucy's gaze and shrugged, he hadn't a clue why Natsu's demeanor suddenly changed and he actually felt bad for the blonde. Lucy watched him take off too before entering the building. When she got to her room, she collapsed on her bed grabbing hold of a pillow.

Quadruple crap.

He was mad with her. He had to be, she didn't even blame him. She knew for a fact that she would get mad if someone kept pushing on a subject that she didn't want to talk about. But at the same time, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. If she had been in his position, she would love for just one person to acknowledge her birthday...or not birthday, for that matter.

But he was stubborn.

She glanced over at her desk littered with papers, a gleam in her eye. She got up and headed out to the street markets, Lucy Heartfilia had another idea.

Natsu hadn't left his hammock ever since he got back home. If he had hurt Lucy, he would have to apologize tomorrow. It was nighttime now and he had just woken up from another slumber, he hadn't stopped thinking about Lucy all day. 'Let's make today your birthday' the thought of her saying that making him sick, rivaling his very own motion sickness. It's not that it was a bad idea...it's just...years ago. A little while after he had met Igneel, the dragon had proposed the same idea...so in a sense Lucy was right.

Today was kinda his birthday.

He hadn't celebrated since Igneel left though, there was no reason to. The day leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. He stared blankly at the wall.

"Natsu! What's this?"

The boy rolled over to face his cat, who was standing over a small box with an envelope attached to it. Natsu got up and slowly picked up the box, he had no idea what it was. He hadn't seen it before in his life. He cautiously lifted the lid off of the box and peered inside, happy now peering over his shoulder staring in wonder.

It was a beautiful gold pin in the shape of a dragon. It was gorgeous.

Happy carefully took the pin from the male and cocked his head at it, "Aye! It's a dragon!"

Natsu nodded calmly as he opened the envelope, in an extremely delicate writing, the paper inside read:

_**Dear Natsu,**_

_**I know you'll repeatedly protest today being your birthday and all, but you're stubborn and I know that you actually want to celebrate your birthday. So allow me to be the first. I'm guessing that you're scared. And yes I know you will probably tell me another time that you are not scared, and that I'm just being weird but I get it.**_

_**I would be scared too.**_

_**Just so you know, I'm not going anywhere. Whether you like it or not, I'm ALWAYS going be here with you. I'm never going to leave you.**_

_**I promise.**_

_**So, being your dear friend allow me to do the honors.**_

_**Happy 'not-your-birthday' day.**_

_**Love, Lucy**_

_**P.S I may or may not have snuck into your house again to give you this, sorry. Love you.**_

Natsu smiled to himself as he read the letter. 'Love you too' he thought to himself. He had been so mesmerized by the letter that he hadn't even realized that Happy had crept onto his shoulder and was reading the letter too.

"So, Lucy snuck in here to leave you a birthday present? She's such a weirdo!"

Natsu chuckled as he pinned the small trinket to his wristband, "Yeah...but she's our weirdo."

Happy nodded in agreement as he flopped down onto the hammock with the male.

"Aye!"

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Yay for NaLu!

As you probably can see, I'm not superb at writing big NaLu romance because although I ship it with like all of my heart, I just can't write big ol' fashioned romance and lovey-dovey scenes. (I'll work on it.)

Anywho, I hope you guys enjoy this little of the top of my head one-shot. Feel free to leave me a review discussing what worked and what didn't (I feel that I might have been a little OOC with most of them...to be honest, but I digress)

Okay, bye my dears

~Arigato, Mari :)


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